Tired of being the "bad guy"

[4 in 2005]

Does anyone else get this.  I delay vax.  My kids get everything but I start it later and give them fewer shots at a time because my 10 year old had severe reactions and her very pro-vaccine Dr recommended that I delay/space out vaccines for her siblings to hopefully offset the instance of severe reactions.  Her reactions were she would run a fever of 101-103  for 2-3 weeks.  The fever came down with Tylenol but I hated the fact she was getting that much Tylenol.  It was a concern to me esp with a family history of liver function issues. 

So the Dr felt that by spacing them out we could see if it was one vaccine causing the severe fever or if it was the mass dose of several things.   We have had no issues since doing things this way.  

So they get all their shots just I have to take them in more often.   However my daughters will not get the menactra vaccine because they are highly allergic to latex. 

Yet when people find out my daughter is missing one vaccine and in public school they freak out and act like she could kill all their children that are fully vaccinated.   Hello if you have such faith in vaccines my daughter missing ONE shouldn't be an issue. 

I just don't get why trying to protect my daughter makes me such the bad guy.  Can anyone else relate?

[firewoman]

So you have more than one parent upset that your daughter hasn't been vaccinated with Menactra?  Do they understand there is a contraindication for your daughter because of her latex sensitivity?

I no longer vaccinate at all so my three youngest haven't had anything but I don't broadcast the fact that they are not vaccinated because my medical choices are really no one else's business.  How do other parents even know that she is missing that particular vaccine?

In all honesty, even with my completely unvaccinated children I have never had a parent confront me about it, but like I said, I don't feel the need to discuss it.

[4 in 2005]

Yeah I normally do not discuss the topic with people either.  It came out because for Girl Scouts I had an issue with them NOT following the no latex rules for my girls and I.   (I was a leader and one of the ones that was first aid certified but I told them without latex free gloves and bandaids they couldn't count on me as first aid trained and that for my daughters they needed to have latex free products.)  Well one of the parents overheard this and asked me how my daughter was able to get that vaccine because she heard that if they are allergic to latex they can't have it.  I said well no she hasn't had it yet, and that she won't be able to get it until they develop the latex free version I keep hearing rumors about.   WOW that word spread like wildfire.  Parents telling me my daughter shouldn't be allowed in school or scouts till she gets this shot.  So that is the part that irritates me the most is that the conversation started with a parent that knew my daughter's severe reaction to latex. 

The few that had an issue about scouts have left scouts,  but the I still get some comments about she shouldn't be in school.   I just don't get it.   If they trust these vaccines that much my daughter shouldn't be an issue to their kids.  

[3 in 2010]

I do not typically discuss my vaccination decisions with others either due to those types of reactions.  I am always surprised a little by the reactions because if all of their kids are vaccinated and those parents truly BELIEVE in vaccinations for the health of their children, then I am curious why they would be concerned that their child could get sick from mine instead of vice versa.

[l3erly]

Originally Posted by 3 in 2010 

...then I am curious why they would be concerned that their child could get sick from mine instead of vice versa.

I fully agree.

Their kids shouldn't have a problem since they are vaccinated. I really think that they didn't fully think it through before opening their mouth. If their child was allergic to, say, peanuts, I'm sure they would be avoiding anything with peanuts in it. Your situation is no different. At the end of the day, we're all just doing what we view is best for ourselves and our families :)

[SilverMoon010]

I wouldn't even sweat it.  Parents who have kids that are fully vaccinated and complain about those who are unvaccinated/delayed/selective have serious issues/concerns and are terribly misguided.  For one, they obviously don't even trust the effectiveness of vaccines to begin with, so why bother getting them at all and exposing their children to all of that if they don't feel the vaccines will protect them, and secondly,  parents like that are just buying into all of the fear-mongering put out there by the media and are unable to look at it from any other view.

Edited by SilverMoon010 - 6/22/11 at 10:28am